


And the Walls Come Tumbling Down

by semifunctionalfangirl



Series: The Crew [2]
Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Gang AU, M/M, Mission Fic, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 22:00:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7481532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/semifunctionalfangirl/pseuds/semifunctionalfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They have a mission to accomplish, and Delirious doesn't have time to think about his feelings. That is, until he's forced to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And the Walls Come Tumbling Down

**Author's Note:**

> The long awaited Part 2! I hope you guys enjoy this. It's taken me the better part of two weeks to get it done. Lol

Wildcat walked into the heist room and threw the bag of weapons on the table. Delirious followed silently, a small smirk on his face, simply because he knew it would piss the other man off. 

“I mean, where the fuck did you even _get_ that many bugs? And on fucking short notice? I swear I can _still_ feel them crawling on me.” Wildcat ranted. 

“They weren't anywhere near you.” Delirious said as he dropped down into his customary seat. “And we got our information, didn't we?”

Vanoss was already there, observing the conversation with interest. “Do I want to know?”

Wildcat pointed frantically at Delirious. “Your psychopath boyfriend decided to torture the information out of our source with _cockroaches_.”

Delirious rolled his eyes. “They were water bugs.”

Wildcat just gaped at him before closing his eyes and running a hand through his hair. “Fucking Christ. I'm going home to sleep. He can debrief you.” He told Evan before storming out of the room. 

Evan fixed him with a look. “Cockroaches?”

“Water bugs,” Delirious amended with a grin. 

Evan just shook his head fondly before pushing the folder he was reading away. “So what do we know?”

“Our money is being held by the Hellcat Crew. They're holed up in a warehouse down by the docks.” Delirious leaned forward. “Probably have an arsenal waiting for us.”

“Who doesn't?” Evan scoffed. “It's not going to stop us from getting back what they stole.”

Two million dollars: they had ran their biggest heist yet, taking on the Los Santos National Bank. They weren't completely cruel; they didn't steal from the innocent taxpayers. They simply took the money that belonged to the corrupt Congressman that was making their city a living hell. The amount was mostly bribe money that the man had received to help further his campaign, and the crew wasn't going to stand by and allow it to happen. Besides, the cash wasn't for them; they stole it to give back to the community.

That was, until it was hijacked from under their noses. 

They had been especially careful with this stash, making a point to leave guards stationed at the perimeter of Mini and Wildcat’s house where it was hidden. It happened when they were out on another raid, the crew responsible making sure to knock out both Brian and Brock before taking the money for themselves. Despite being grateful that their teammates were still alive- Delirious supposed that they didn't want to _completely_ face the wrath of Vanoss- they still had to deal with the fact that the two million dollars had been stolen. How they had known where it was, no one had any idea. And the thought that there would be a mole in the organization just seemed absurd. 

They didn't even know _who_ had taken it. But with some well placed hints out in the community, and a few informants coming forward about the man who had been bragging about getting one over on the toughest crew in the city, they were able to find someone who spilled all of the information about where it was being held. It may have been slightly influenced by the fact that water bugs were climbing all over his body, but talk he did. 

“Come on, let's grab a beer before heading to bed. We’ll make the plans tomorrow.” Evan suggested. 

Delirious just shrugged before following Evan out of the room and into the kitchen. He was handed a beer and they clinked them together, a toast for a successful mission. 

They stood there in silence, both content to just lean against the counter, shoulder to shoulder. Delirious could feel every nerve ending firing where Evan's arm was touching his own. 

Delirious didn't let people in easily, that much was true. However, when it came to Vanoss, Delirious found himself opening up in ways he hadn't thought possible since he'd lost his best friend years prior. He wasn't sure what was happening, their relationship not more than a tumble in the sheets when both needed to unwind. In fact, they never actually spoke about what was going on between them; simply, they let the others believe what they wanted. 

He had been living in the apartment with Evan since the other man had taken him into the crew that fateful night when he had stolen his car. Initially, Delirious slept in the guest bedroom, until the both of them mutually-and quite silently- decided that he spent enough time in Evan's bed that the other room was more of a formality. 

Delirious didn't think about feelings often; his life leading up to that point hadn't allowed him room. Even then, he knew he was emotionally stunted when it came to matters of the heart. And, while he wasn't sure what their status was, he knew that both of them were exclusive to one another. If he granted himself time to think about the situation, he thought that the direction he and Evan were headed was one in which they were _it_ for each other. Evan knew him like no one else did; even for the short amount of time they had known each other, the other man had settled under his skin, deep into his bones. 

But as they never took the time to discuss things-and really did they need to? Delirious wasn't sure- it went the same way it always did. 

That night, both found solace in each other. Evan was gentle, as if he felt the need that Delirious was exuding. And Delirious, for his own sanity, decided that tonight was not the night to start thinking about just how deep his feelings ran. 

As it was, the next morning came quickly and Delirious awoke to an empty bed. It wasn't unusual; Evan usually woke early to get a run in before heading to the heist room to prepare their next mission. They didn't ever hold each other, and Delirious maybe thought it was due to the fact that neither wanted to address their budding affair. 

Evan wasn't in the kitchen, and Delirious indulged himself in his customary sugar with a splash of coffee. Evan teased him mercilessly about his overly sweet addiction, but Delirious usually just smirked at him as he took another tantalizing sip. 

He was sitting at the table when Evan walked in from the heist room, picking up the mug that Delirious had already made him. It was a routine, one that they both relied on. 

“Everyone is coming over in an hour.” Evan told him. “I managed to scrape up the blueprints of the warehouse that they're holed in.”

Delirious was always amazed at how quickly and efficiently Evan could work; how he somehow got ahold of the information they needed for whatever they were working on that week. Delirious knew that Evan most likely had friends in high places who were willing to divulge certain information in return for protection and in some cases, loans. But Delirious didn't particularly care about the specifics; Evan was making their jobs so much easier and besides, Delirious enjoyed being the hired gun, faded in the background. 

So he nodded at Evan, accepting the information that was given. 

“It's not going to be an easy one.” Evan told him, frowning as he leapt up to sit on the counter. “The Hellcats have an armory, and they know we're going to be coming for them. So we need to make a concrete plan, and maybe even a few backup plans.”

Delirious knew that he was the only one Evan would voice his concerns to. To the others, he was their leader, and Evan had to be confident in everything they did. “We should have the copter on standby, in case we get overwhelmed.” 

Evan nodded. “I'm sure Lui won't be happy, not being in the action.”

“Lui will understand that he's needed elsewhere for the team.” Delirious pointed out. “We all have our assignments.”

“I hate bringing Terroriser and Moo back in this soon.” Evan ran a hand through his hair. 

Delirious understood. When they hadn't received word from the pair, they had all panicked, rushing to the house to find the two knocked out cold from the butt of a gun. Moo had taken the worst damage; a concussion and a broken wrist from when he had landed unceremoniously on the ground. Neither had seen the ambush coming, the perpetrators sneaking up behind in a blitz attack. They wouldn't have gotten the upper hand otherwise. Both men were elite in their training. 

“Moo has been out of the cast for a week now. And Brian won't let anything happen to him. None of us will.” Delirious found himself doing this often, talking Evan through his concerns and offering advice and observations when needed. “Like you said, we just need a solid plan.”

Evan grinned at him then, and Delirious felt a wave of something flow through his body: admiration, arousal, happiness? He just wasn't sure. “I'm going to take a shower before everyone gets here. You gonna join me or continue drinking your sugar?” 

Delirious immaturely stuck his tongue out, but drained the rest of his mug and followed Evan to the bedroom. 

Once showered-and after a mind-blowing orgasm courtesy of Evan's talented mouth- Delirious stood in front of the mirror and donned his clown makeup. Though everyone already knew what he looked like, the makeup helped him feel a little more secure. It wasn't as if he didn't trust his men; rather, it was more to the fact that after years of anonymity, the makeup just helped him slowly come to terms with the fact that he had a team, a _family_. 

Evan was toweling his hair when he came back into the bedroom. The other man was already dressed in black jeans and a red sweater. Delirious would have teased him for his lack of originality when it came to clothes, but he, himself, didn't often wear anything besides his well worn blue hoodie. 

“Hey there, Clown. Ready to face the day?” Evan asked with a smirk. 

“As always, Owl Man. While you finish getting yourself beautiful, I'll go set up.” Delirious waved his arm around. “Try not to take too long, princess.”

Evan swatted his head as he left the room, Delirious’ laugh echoing down the hallway. 

He entered the heist room, already seeing a pile of folders at the end of the table. Evan had certainly been busy that morning preparing for the meeting. He distributed each folder to lay in front of each seat. There were ten in total, one for each member of the crew. 

Resisting the urge to open his own and get a peek at what Evan had come up with, he decided instead to set up the whiteboard and computer. The computer was mostly for Lui, who would take notes and research when needed. The whiteboard however, usually fell to Delirious’ hand. On it, they would mark out their plan, solidifying it first by making suggestions here and there. He would write it, sometimes chiming in when he didn't think one particular idea would work. But Evan and he were usually on the same page, so he rarely had to voice his opinion. 

He sat at the table in his own seat, spiraling the marker in his fingers. It was only a few minutes later when he heard a knock on the front door, followed quickly by the tell-tale sounds of an argument. 

“Brocky, I just don't think it would be a good idea!” 

“Brian, I'm _fine_. My wrist doesn't even hurt anymore! We have a job to do and I want to get those bastards.”

“That's what I'm afraid of! It's too personal now!”

“It's personal for _everybody_ , Brian!”

Moo sounded exasperated, and Delirious didn't blame him. Moo had had to sit out on multiple heists, his right wrist useless at holding a gun properly. And Terroriser had been a nagging hen, despite the fact that he too, had been hurt in the attack. 

The two entered the room, nodding once to Delirious. 

“Lovers quarrel?” He asked in a monotonous voice, but knew that his smile gave away his intentions. 

Brian threw his hands up. “Delirious, tell Brock that he still needs to heal and should sit out.”

Delirious motioned for Brock to come closer and held out his hand. Brock sat next to him and faced him, placing his previously injured wrist into Delirious’ waiting hand. Though he wasn't the team medic, Delirious had plenty of prior knowledge of broken bones and the healing process. He pushed on Moo’s fingers, bending them slightly back and moving his wrist in the process. There was no hiss of pain, and from what Delirious could tell, there was no stiffness in the muscle. Brock must had been working on it diligently. He continued to test the man’s range of motion, before letting go of his hand and sitting back. 

“I'm not an expert but the wrist seems fine to me.” He told them. Brock shot Brian a smug look. 

“I won't be satisfied until Droidd looks at it.” Brian said with a huff as he crossed his arms across his chest. 

As the rest of the team filed in a few minutes later, Droidd took the time to look over Brock's wrist. “It looks great. I'm clearing you.” He said in a thick accent. 

Brian gave up at that point, throwing his hands in the air as he collapsed in the chair next to Brock's. 

Everyone was there, talking loudly, when Evan walked in. He sat in his chair at the end of the table, Wildcat to his right and Delirious to his left. All conversations halted, everyone knowing that Vanoss was there, and that business was about to be had. 

It drove Delirious mad to no end that Evan could easily switch into Vanoss at the drop of a hat. Gone was Evan, the man who teased him about his coffee, who took the time to learn his favorite foods to keep the cupboards stocked with, who sat through _far_ too many episodes of Dragon Ball Z just to keep Delirious company. In his place, was their fearless leader, the man who led them into battle, and protected his own with a ruthless demeanor. 

He pulled out the first sheet in the folder. “Thanks to Wildcat and Delirious, we know where the money is.”

“You mean thanks to Delirious being fucking insane.” Wildcat grumbled, but quickly shut up when a glare from the boss was directed at him. 

“As I was saying, the stash is at this warehouse here.” He stood and placed the blueprint on the whiteboard, securing it with a magnet. He then pointed to a warehouse settled by a dock. It was already circled in a bright red marker, and everyone was listening with rapt attention. “We're going to split up in teams of two. You won't be with your normal partner. I need the teams to be strategical matched, and I can't worry about one of you getting distracted if something goes wrong.” He gave a pointed look to Brian, who settled low in his chair in response. 

Delirious understood, and agreed. With a mission like this, the liability was too great. Everyone was usually matched up with either their best friend, or their lover. They couldn't take the chance that one of them would scratch the mission in favor of their partner. They all cared for one another like family, but in the heat of a heist, the mission was all that mattered. 

“Brian, you're going to be with Mini. You two will enter from the roof. Wildcat and Delirious, you two are going to enter the front with Brock and me. Nogla, you and Basically are on the perimeter. You hear gunfire, you enter behind us and back us up. Lui, I want you in the copter on standby. If things go south, you're our last resort. Droidd, we might need you close, so you're going to be with Lui. If something happens, we're airlifting out of there.” He tacked up the blueprint of the warehouse next. “The warehouse is one large room, with smaller offices on the second floor that overlook the main floor. Mini and Brian, you're going to be entering by the offices.” He pointed to where the roof staircase led. “You need to tell us how many people we're working with, without being seen yourselves. If everything goes to plan, we’ll get back our money, and wipe the Hellcats off the face of Los Santos. At the very least, decimate their numbers. From what I know, this isn't their base of operations; it's a store room, so I'm not expecting the boss to be there. But that doesn't mean that he won't have the best in preparation for our arrival.” His voice was hard as he looked at each of them in turn. “We have too much riding on this mission to fail. And we can't sit around and let these bastards get away with hurting our own or getting one over on us.”

Everyone was nodding along. They all knew the importance of success. 

“Okay, any suggestions or changes?” Vanoss sat down and looked around the table. It was Delirious’ cue to stand up and do his duty at the whiteboard. He listed the teams, and laid out the plan. By the time they were all finished discussing it, it was decided for Droidd to be by the SUV’s, even closer if something went sideways. Lui was also going to be up in the chopper the whole time, scoping out the situation and intervening when necessary. 

Otherwise, the mission was scheduled for that night. Under the cloak of darkness, they would hopefully be able to catch the enemies off guard. 

Vanoss adjourned the meeting, telling everyone to go home and get some rest before coming back at six. 

Everyone left, and Delirious and Vanoss headed out to their private hangar. Aside from their helicopter, it held their stockpile of weapons. 

Delirious ran his hand over his beloved guns, trying to decide which he'd need for that night. In the end though, he elected for his M4 carbine and his PM9 as a backup weapon. He loaded them into his duffle, adding more than enough rounds in it as well. 

He joined Vanoss by the weapons rack on one of the walls. He was staring intently at his choices, likely thinking, like Delirious had, which weapons would inflict the most damage and would be a match for what was waiting for them. 

He eventually picked up the AK-47 and Delirious opened the duffle for him to place it in. 

“Grenades?” Delirious asked him. 

Vanoss rolled his eyes. “What's with you and wanting to blow shit up?”

“Nothing wrong with being prepared.” Delirious grinned and Vanoss just shook his head as he picked up the grenade belt anyway. 

“Alright, let's get enough for the crew and head out.” 

They only took enough semi-autos for each of the team to have one, as well as a few backups. Each member usually kept a side arm on them, so they didn't concern themselves with picking those up as well. 

With three duffle bags nestled under the false bottom of Vanoss’ trunk, the pair headed back to the apartment. 

Both were too wired about the mission ahead that neither could get any rest. Instead, they sat together in the heist room, shoulder to shoulder and hashing out any potential problems with the plan. 

Lui was the first to arrive at the apartment that evening, tac gear in a bag on his arm and a pistol in a holster on his hip. “Hey, boss man, I'm about to go stock and fuel up the chopper. Need anything from the stores?”

Vanoss patted the duffle bag next to him. “Delirious and I went earlier to stock up.”

Lui nodded, pulling his bag up to sit more comfortably on his shoulder. “Want me to scout out the perimeter?”

“Yes. See what's going on and report back. We're using ear pieces tonight. Remember Lui, you're our eyes in the sky. You see something wrong, you shout it out.” Vanoss told him seriously. 

“Aye-Aye, Captain.” Lui saluted playfully, using his squeaker voice. Personally, Delirious loved it. Even in the most morose of situations, Lui could manage to bring a smile to everyone's face with just the change of his voice. 

Vanoss chuckled and threw him the ear piece. “Let me know when you're in the air.”

Wildcat and Mini walked in then, stopping quickly to wish Lui luck before the man left the apartment. 

They sat and made light conversation with Vanoss, talking over the plan once more. 

Delirious didn't contribute. It was usually around that time, right before a heist, when he drew into himself. Missions tend to bring out the ruthlessness in him, something that was mellowed considerably when he was around his team in the safety of Evan’s apartment. On missions though, he knew he became...well, delirious. He took the time to compartmentalize, to switch into the persona of a psychopath with the proclivity towards torturing and killing his enemies. Before the crew, before Evan, it was all he had. Delirious was always extremely private with his personal life and information. If he didn't discuss it, no one could exploit it. Not that anyone _could_ ever truly torture him to the point of talking. His pain tolerance was at the maximum, and his tolerance for bastards was nil. 

He knew the moment his eyes turned hard and his posture straightened, because Vanoss looked at him a little sadly. He didn't think the other man had much room to talk; Evan had been gone since that morning. 

Everyone was already there, a fact that Delirious missed during his deliberations. A blank face settled over his features, and Delirious was ready. He was ready for the bloodshed, for the retaliation. Mostly, he was ready to get Evan back. 

The feeling must had been mutual, because Vanoss turned from him with a sharp nod and a thin line where his lips used to be. “Gear up and let's move.” 

They pulled up to the warehouse district around eight, the night already closing in and giving them the cover they needed to avoid suspicion. 

The warehouse in question was still a few buildings from where they parked, not wanting to give the other crew a heads up to the fact that they were about to be completely wiped out. 

In one very small corner of his mind, Delirious thought maybe it was a bit harsh to plan to kill everyone they came across, but then he remembered finding Terroriser and Moo knocked out, and the voice shut up quickly. 

They were all already in their tactical gear, guns held firmly in their hands. 

“Everyone remember the plan?” Vanoss asked, voice slightly muffled through the rubber of his mask. 

“We've been over it enough times.” Wildcat supplied. “Let's get this done.”

“They're not going to know what hit them.” Terroriser said viciously. Delirious mildly thought that he and Brian were on the same page about the lack of remorse regarding the mission. 

Vanoss gave everyone an ear piece, and tested it quickly to ensure they all worked perfectly. They couldn't risk one of them getting separated, or in trouble, with their one source of communication failing. 

“Lui, what're you looking at?” Vanoss asked as he checked his ammo for the second time in as many minutes. 

Lui’s voice crackled through the ear pieces. “Everything looks quiet, boss. There is a van and an SUV parked to the side, but no one has gone in or out in the last hour.”

They crew could hear the faint whirl of the copter blades as it flew overhead. Lui was high enough that, while he could scout out the area, the Hellcats wouldn't be able to tell if it was anything more than a news chopper. 

“Droidd, keep the truck running. Don't worry about anything other than getting any potential injured out.” Vanoss told the man. Droidd nodded from his seat in the SUV. “Move out.” He commanded, and they followed without question. 

It took hardly any time to arrive at the target, the crew separating to their assigned locations with a nod from their leader. Delirious and Wildcat took their places to the left of the door, Vanoss and Moo to the right. Delirious strained his ears trying to hear anything from within the warehouse, but there was nothing discernible. 

Mini and Terroriser were to give them the signal when they reached their positions on the second floor. 

“Boss, we see about ten lackeys.” Terroriser said quietly into the comms. “Could be more that we don't see, but they have some big guns.” 

Vanoss gave the go ahead to proceed, effectively cutting off what was sure to be a horrible pun about how their big guns were no match for their own, courtesy of Moo. 

The first gunshot fired from Mini was the cue for them to burst through the front doors, Vanoss and Delirious side by side with Moo and Wildcat directly on their heels. 

Delirious immediately engaged in the firefight, taking down two crew members before they had even realized that there were more enemies to fight. 

He wasn't sure how it happened, but it took about two minutes for the whole operation to hit the proverbial fan. 

He was hiding behind a metal shelf with Wildcat, the flames causing his face to sweat behind the mask. He could already feel his clown makeup running messily. 

“Who the fuck uses a flamethrower?” He yelled. 

Wildcat just turned his face towards him, and Delirious could practically _feel_ the glare. Because of course, Delirious himself owned one. 

“Who has eyes on the psychopath?” Vanoss shouted through the comms. Delirious had no idea where he was holed up, but he knew that he was alone as he could see Moo directly across from them. 

The warehouse was already succumbing to the flames; boxes were burning and it wouldn't take much more for the ammo that Delirious had seen on multiple tables to blow all of them to pieces. They needed to end this, _now_. He squared up, aiming his semi through the miscellaneous items that were hiding on the shelf. The man with the flame thrower had his back to them, most likely trying to pinpoint the direction Vanoss had ran. One clean shot and the man was dead, the weapon falling to the ground with a resounding thud. 

“Target neutralized.” He told the others as he shouldered his gun. From what he could tell, the other members of the Hellcats had fled, and they were alone in the burning building. He was sure Nogla and Basically had taken care of them outside. “We need to go.”

“Mini, Terroriser, get your asses down here and get out. The roof is compromised.” Vanoss was panting, the heat and exertion from the mission finally getting to him. “Everyone else, get moving! I'll grab the money and meet you outside.”

“Fuck that!” Delirious argued, running around the shelf and towards the center of the room. He could make out the top of Vanoss’ mask from where he was hiding behind behind a stack of plastic crates, the plastic already warped from the heat of the blaze. 

“Delirious, don't fucking argue! Go! I'm right behind you!” His voice was assertive, and Delirious was left wanting to obey his orders, or completely disregard them in order to keep the other man safe. He watched as Vanoss darted towards the back of the warehouse where they had seen the duffle bags the other crew had stolen. 

Wildcat was already pulling on his shoulder, yelling in his ear to just _come on_. “He's a big boy, Delirious! Let's go!”

The building shook then, the foundation giving way. The only reason Delirious let Wildcat drag him back through the front doors was that he could already see Vanoss running across the floor, duffle bags in hand. 

He waited anxiously at the doors, itching to go back in and help. It went against everything he was trained for, but the flicker of emotions were starting to bleed through his carefully places walls. 

A blast had him landing on his back, the doors blown open from the force of it. He struggled to catch his breath, his body screaming at him in pain. Wildcat and Moo were at his side in a second, helping him up as they watched the building burn in horror. 

“Evan!” Delirious screamed, trying to break free from the hold on him. “Let me fucking go!”

“You can't go back in there, Delirious! It's suicide!” Moo was shouting in his ear. They could hear the steady popping as the ammunition went up in flames. 

“Vanoss is still in there! I have to help him!” He threw his body around, but the two just held on tighter. 

“There's no way he survived that!” Wildcat said then. “You go in there, you're just going to die with him.” He knew Wildcat wasn't trying to be cruel, but the words pierced through Delirious’ heart just the same. 

“You don't fucking get it! There ain't me if there ain't him!” The shock of his words gave him the opportunity he needed as the two men slackened their grip subconsciously and he wrenched himself away. 

Before they could register the fact that he was no longer between them, Delirious ran through the now empty doorway of the warehouse, his lungs struggling through the smoke and soot that continued to accumulate. He tried to adjust his eyes, but they burned through the strain, the flames making him tear up and restrict his vision. He squatted down low, imitating a sort of crab walk, as he made his way through the building. He didn't think Vanoss was far; he had been right behind them when they exited.

“Evan!” He called out, raising his voice above the roar of the roar of the flames. “Vanoss, you son of a bitch! Answer me!” 

There was a sound, barely there and he wasn't quite sure if he'd imagined it. But it happened again, a faint bellow from under what seemed to be the metal shelf that Delirious had been hiding behind moments before. He sped over there, and grabbed Vanoss’ twitching hand in comfort. “I'm gonna get you out of here.” 

Delirious coughed loudly, trying to dislodge the smoke, and stood. The shelf must have been knocked over by the main blast, catching Vanoss as he tried to run. The shelf itself wasn't terribly heavy, and it took a few seconds of effort to move it up and shove it over. The building shuttered again, threatening to fall. Delirious knew he was running out of time. 

Vanoss was face down on the floor, his mask skewed so that it his mouth was uncovered. Delirious’ body ached, but he managed to flip Vanoss over and ripped the mask from his face, knowing that it was constricting his already blocked airways. His chest was moving, but barely, and his eyes were closed. He showed no signs of recognizing that he was being saved. So, as best as he could, Delirious hooked his arms under Vanoss’ shoulders and heaved. 

Delirious pushed the feeling of exhaustion to the back of his mind. He couldn't breathe and his body was on the verge of collapsing from lack of oxygen, but the adrenaline kicked in. Just as a fiery beam fell from the ceiling, he was throwing the both of them out into the evening air. 

Hands were on him immediately, but he wouldn't let go of Evan, _couldn't_ let go. He didn't know if the other man was going to live, and he wasn't going to waste what could be his last precious minutes being separated. 

“Delirious, let Droidd get to him!” He didn't know who was speaking to him. His eyes were burning and he felt his insides churning. He reluctantly let go of his grasp on Evan’s shoulders and scrambled out from underneath him in order to turn and empty the contents of his stomach on the pavement. His system was trying to rid itself of the smoke that had settled deep insides of his lungs. Rasping coughs and heaves followed, and suddenly there was a heavy, comforting hand on his back. 

Nogla helped him stand up straight, and Delirious wasn't ashamed to lean into his friend. He watched as Droidd and Wildcat loaded Evan into the back of one of the SUV’s. A feeling of relief ripped through his body, sucking the remaining energy from him. He barely heard the shout of alarm as he collapsed and the world went black. 

Delirious wasn't sure how long he had been out, and he felt aches and pains that he couldn't remember the source of. He was laying on a soft surface, the room quiet. He felt a presence of something on his face, and numbly reached to remove it. 

“Hey, keep that on.” 

Delirious’ eyes shot open at the words, and saw Nogla sitting next to him, a sympathetic look on his face. 

“Ye still need the oxygen after inhaling all that smoke.” He was saying. 

Delirious furrowed his brows. Smoke? 

And then suddenly, he remembered everything with a startling clarity. He jolted up, ripping the oxygen mask off of his face in the same motion. Nogla reached out to steady him. 

“Evan...Vanoss...is he…?” He gasped out.

Nogla gave him a tight smile. “He's okay. Couple of broken ribs from when he was thrown, and he's still on oxygen. But Droidd said he's gonna make it.” 

Delirious sighed in relief, sagging back down towards what he now knew to be his old bed. “Fuck.”

“You're a right idiot, Delirious.” Nogla scolded. “Running into a burning building like that. Ye could've died.”

“Vanoss would have died if I didn't do it.” Delirious countered. He could still feel the strain of his lungs as he spoke, so he pulled the mask back into place and took a few deep, rattling breaths. 

“I always knew ye two were close, but not like that.” Nogla commented lightly. 

Delirious flinched. “I would've done the same for any of you.” 

Nogla laughed as if he knew just how much bullshit Delirious was spinning. “Maybe, but you and I both know that it's not the same.”

“Nogla…”

The other man shrugged. “It's okay if you haven't figured it out yet. Get some more rest, Delirious. We can move you to your room when Evan wakes up.” He patted his shoulder and stood, looking once more at Delirious with a knowing glance before leaving the room with a soft click of the door.

Delirious closed his eyes to the influx of emotions that bombarded his system. 

There was no denying it anymore; he was in too deep with Evan. He didn't know where his life ended and Evan’s began. They were one, had been since the first day and had only been delaying the inevitable. The thought of losing Evan had become more destructive than the thought of _actually_ being with him on a more than physical level. 

Delirious was no longer willing to avoid the conversation, consequences be damned. He had almost lost Evan, and though he loathed to admit it, almost lost the only thing still keeping him together. Evan brought out the human side of Delirious and made him want to be less of a killing machine, but more like someone who can be better. Made him feel like he _deserved_ a normal life; one in which Delirious knew would be nothing without Evan in it. 

Love, he supposed, was what had him hurling himself into a burning building. Nogla was right; he wasn't sure he would have done the same for the others. 

It was a different feeling, now that he'd let his walls down and truly analyzed his own emotions. His heart was swelling with love for the man, relief that he was truly okay, and horror at how close that day could have come to utter wreckage. And yet, he couldn't find it in him to regret how he and Evan had been until that point. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if much would change after he declared his feelings. They had been together, however unofficially, for months. Their entire crew knew it-especially judging by the way Nogla had called Evan’s room, his room- and Delirious was determined to make sure that the rest of the world would as well. 

There was always the threat that someone could use them against each other, but he wasn't necessarily worried. They were both professionals, and wouldn't let their relationship interfere with the job; hadn't let it interfere. He vaguely thought about the fact that he didn't grab the money; his only intent was to get Evan out. He couldn't find it in himself to care. It was curious how a life or death situation could crumble the carefully constructed walls he'd placed to keep from getting hurt. 

No, if Delirious was about to jump down the rabbit hole, he was doing it with hands up and waving at the past. He was ready, and he hoped to God that Evan was as well. 

He couldn't stay in that room any longer, his body vibrating with the need to make sure Evan was really okay. He sat up slowly, setting the mask to the side of the bed and reaching to turn off the tank. He'd be fine without it for a little bit and besides, as soon as the others found out about his room switch, the tank would be relocated as well. 

He gripped the wall for balance as he got to his feet, his equilibrium shook, causing him to feel dizzy. He took a few tantalizing steps, trying to gather his wits about him. As soon as the dizzy spell passed, he walked to the door and opened it quietly, peeking his head out to make sure no one was lurking in the hallway. 

Someone had dressed him in a clean shirt and boxers, he’d noticed. They had done a decent job of cleaning him up as well, but Delirious knew that only a long, hot shower would erase the stickiness of his skin from the sweat and smoke. 

Their bedroom was just two doors down, separated only by the bathroom. He walked quickly and quietly, opening the door as silent as possible and closing it with a soft click. He turned, and nearly choked on his tongue. 

Evan was laying in their bed, as still as a corpse, his own oxygen mask settled over his nose and mouth. The comforter was pulled up to his waist, and his chest and stomach were wrapped in white bandages. Delirious could see some burns on his shoulders and arms from where the hot metal was resting on them. Droidd must have put a burn cream on them, because they were covered by a sheer coating. 

Delirious moved closer, his heart in his throat, and he pushed back the tears that were threatening to fall. Evan was _alive_ , could prove it by the steady rise and fall of his chest. He felt better now that he saw him, but he still couldn't get the image out of his head of Evan laying under that shelf; he couldn't get over the fact that he could have lost him forever. 

He laid gently on the bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping man. He moved onto his side, and ran a hand lightly down the side of his face. 

How long had he denied himself this feeling? This ability to touch him? Delirious wasn't sure he could get enough. The love he felt...how he had curbed his feelings for so long was a true mystery. He poured everything he could into that touch: relief, love, joy. He tried to relay strength through the touch, as if it could speed along Evan's recovery. 

Delirious laid an arm across the unbandaged part of Evan's chest, and entangled their legs together under the blanket. It took no time at all for him to fall back asleep, encased in the body heat of his lover. 

The next time he woke, it was to long fingers running through his hair. He opened his eyes slowly, afraid that it was all a dream. But Evan was staring at him, his chocolate eyes looking down at him fondly.

“You going soft on me, Jonathan?” 

Delirious wasn't sure if the noise that left him was a laugh or a sob- it was most likely a horrible mixture of both- and he buried his face against the uninjured part of Evan's shoulder. 

“You almost died.” The words were muffled, but he knew Evan heard him. 

“I didn't though. You saved me.” Evan huffed. “Idiotically of course; you could've died too.”

Delirious turned his head back towards the other man. “I wasn't leaving you there.”

“What happened to the money?” 

He shook his head. “Went up with the building.”

Evan frowned and let out a frustrated sigh. “So everything...it was all for nothing.”

Delirious braced himself on his elbow so that he could look down at him. “Maybe I didn't say it before, but you almost _died_. Fuck the money, Evan. I wasn't about to lose you.”

“But…”

With a snarl, Delirious effectively shut him up by capturing his lips in a bruising kiss. It wasn't as if they had never kissed before, but this was different. This time, Delirious wasn't holding back his emotions. He cupped Evan’s face and deepened the kiss, Evan kissing back just as enthusiastically. 

Delirious pulled away reluctantly, but rested his forehead against Evan's, not wanting to lose the contact so soon. “You're the only one who gets me. You were able to break down my walls and make me see that I don't have to be Delirious all of the time. I can be a human being. I don't...I can't lose you. Don't you see that?”

“I...yeah. Yeah I see that. I can't lose you either. It would destroy me.” Evan agreed finally. 

“You don't get to do that to me anymore, okay?” 

Evan was nodding. “Okay. No more being reckless. Just as long as you promise the same thing.”

Delirious’ response was another kiss, so full of love that it had both of them gasping for breath when it was over. 

“I love you, Evan. I'm tired of pretending that I don't.” He whispered. 

Evan ran a hand through his hair once more. “I love you too, Jon. I didn't say anything because I thought you were content with how everything was. I didn't want to ruin what we had.”

In hindsight, Delirious supposed he could see that; see that _he_ was the one holding back. Memories of his past, of how many times he's been hurt because he got too close to someone: Evan sensed it because he _knew_ Delirious. 

“I want this. I want you.” Delirious told him. 

“You have me.” Evan confirmed. 

Delirious laid back down and rested his head on Evan's shoulder once more. He pressed his entire body against the other man’s, needing the contact. 

“Hmm,” Evan said suddenly, a lilt in his voice. “I guess you aren't going soft on me.”

It took Delirious a second to understand what he was saying, before he realized that he was hard against Evan's hip. 

He laughed loudly, grinding just a little bit. “Just you wait until your ribs are better, babe.” 

“Fuck you. You can't get me all hot when there's nothing we can do about it! It's not fair!” Evan was whining, and Delirious should not have found it as endearing as it was. 

“Compromise: once the gang leaves, I'll make sure I follow through. But you have to be nice and still; don't want you being in pain while I'm trying to make you cum.” He nosed the skin just above the collarbone. Evan shuddered and let out a strangled moan. 

“I hate you.”

“You love me. No take-backsies.” Delirious responded, licking and nipping at his neck. 

There was a knock on the door, but Delirious didn't care to stop his path to Evan's earlobe. 

Marcel stick his head in tentatively, before making a face and closing his eyes. “Yeah, okay. Figured you'd be in here, Delirious. We're just gonna go. Droidd said he'd check on you tomorrow. So yeah, bye.” He closed the door as quickly as he could. 

“I guess Marcel drew the short stick.” Evan said with a laugh, it quickly turning into a moan when Delirious stuck his tongue in his ear. 

“Shut up.”

They heard a yell of “Don't damage him anymore, Delirious!” before the front door slammed shut. 

Delirious was already palming the front of Evan's pants, anxious to get his hands on the prize. 

“Shutting up.” Evan whispered. 

Delirious grinned, before taking his bottom lip between his teeth. “Remember, don't move.” 

Delirious needed to feel Evan, confirm that he was still there. He had to stop a few times when Evan whimpered, making sure it was in pleasure and not pain. And when he inserted a finger in his ass, he was coming down Delirious’ throat. Delirious finished himself off quickly, not needing more than the taste of Evan on his lips and the feel of him under his other hand. 

They laid in bed together, both catching their breath. And for the second time that day, they held each other as they drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr:
> 
> bananabus-squadgoals 
> 
>  
> 
> Dani❤️


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